1. Field of the Invention
The present invention concerns vinyl tricarbonyl compounds and methods of making the same.
2. Background Information
A description of the formation of a keto-ester ylide precursor is found in Manning P. Cooke, Jr. and Diana L. Burman, "Charge-Directed Conjugate Addition Reactions in the Preparation of Substituted Methyl Ketones", J. Org. Chem., 47, 4955-4963 (1982).
It is well known that alpha, beta-unsaturated carbonyl compounds are acceptors for certain nucleophiles as a result of Michael-like addition. Furthermore, 1,2,3-vicinyl tricarbonyls are known to be reactive as electrophiles by virtue of the strong electron-deficiency at the central carbonyl group.